South Africa's ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), suffered a setback after the Electoral Court dismissed its attempt to block the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK) from contesting the upcoming May elections.

The ANC challenged the legitimacy of the MK Party, arguing its logo resembled the ANC's military wing and its existence confused voters.

However, the court ruled in favor of the MK Party, allowing it to remain on the ballot.

"There is nothing unlawful about the registration" of the MK party, Judge Leicester Adams said in the ruling in Johannesburg. "The application is dismissed with no order as to costs," fellow Judge Lebogang Modiba said.

This decision is seen as a potential blow to the ANC's grip on power as analysts believe the MK Party could draw significant support away from the ANC, jeopardizing its national majority for the first time since the end of apartheid in 1994, reports Bloomberg.

The MK Party, launched in September 2023, gained national prominence in December 2023 when Zuma declared his support and vowed to withhold his vote from the ANC.

The upcoming elections promise to be tense.